ICYMI: 

Calls for ‘corrupt’ Ngconde Balfour to testify before Zondo Commission 

The widow of former prisons boss Vernie Petersen has called on her late husband’s political head, Ngconde Balfour, to give evidence before the Zondo Commission into state capture.

June Petersen was one of several speakers at the launch of the Justice4Vernie Foundation at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town on Saturday.

The foundation will support initiatives to build an ethical public service and nominate Vernie Petersen to receive the Order of the Baobab posthumously. 

ICYMI: 

EXCLUSIVE: McBride ‘begged’ ex-NPA boss to prosecute IPID cases for months, Abrahams denies ‘baseless’ claims 

One of the last acts Robert McBride attended to as head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has been laid bare in a recent letter to newly-appointed National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi, urging her to fast track high-profile cases which he says were “singled out” by the police watchdog.

In the letter – which News24 has seen – McBride notes that he repeatedly appealed to former prosecutions boss Shaun Abrahams over two years to intervene in IPID cases that were not being prosecuted.

And now, the former IPID boss has officially questioned if Abrahams was “biased in dealing with IPID cases”. 

ICYMI: 

Presidency to wait for Zondo report before acting against Cabinet members 

A parliamentary reply from the Office of the President has indicated President Cyril Ramaphosa’s intention to wait for the report from the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture before he takes action against any Cabinet ministers.

IFP MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa asked Ramaphosa whether he would take action against Minister of Environmental Affairs Nomvula Mokonyane, Minister of Mineral Resources Gwede Mantashe and Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Thabang Makwetla after they were named in testimony before the inquiry.

He also asked, “if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details of the action he intends to take?” 

ICYMI: 

#StateCapture: Eskom executive details signing of R25bn Chinese loan 

The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture on Friday heard how former Eskom financial officer Anoj Singh drove the process for a R25bn loan facility from China’s Huarong Energy Africa.

Eskom head of treasury, Andre Pillay, said the company had approached the power utility with the unsolicited offer in 2015. 

An Eskom delegation had travelled to China with an intention to further explore the offer. The terms of the loan would include a $30m cancellation fee and a R400m “signature fee”, according to earlier reports.

It was previously reported that the terms of the controversial loan, which Eskom was to use to refurbish power stations, also allowed Huarong to select and approve contractors. No agreement was reached from the first China visit. 

ICYMI: 

ANALYSIS: 

Manuel on Zuma’s abdication of duty – and how the Guptas took power 

Trevor Manuel on Thursday used rhetoric that became extinct in the executive of former president Jacob Zuma and used language that has largely disappeared from public service since.

In his testimony to the judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture, headed by Deputy Chief Justice Ray Zondo, the former minister of finance spoke about being faithful to the Constitution, about the oath of office sworn to by the president and public representatives, about “necessary care and attention to detail” when managing public finances and about confidentiality when appointing a minister. 

ICYMI: 

State capture: Nyanda fired after refusing repeated invitations to meet Guptas 

Former communications minister Sipiwhe Nyanda told the commission of inquiry into state capture that he was fired after refusing to honour invitations to meet with the Gupta family. 

Nyanda, who was chief of staff of the ANC’s liberation army uMkhonto weSizwe, was the second witness to testify about the appointment and removal of ministers on Thursday.

He told commission chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, that he once met with the Gupta brothers at his office and they were accompanied by former president Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane. 

ICYMI: 

Our MPs need training, Trevor Manuel tells Zondo commission 

ANC veteran and former finance minister Trevor Manuel has expressed frustration at the governing party’s failure to use its own stalwarts and former leaders to better service the country.

Manuel, who testified earlier at the state capture commission of inquiry, said there were many former leaders, including two former presidents, who were never consulted about how to successfully run South Africa over the past decade.

Commission chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, invited Manuel to testify after he claimed that the ANC’s head of elections and former minister Fikile Mbalula wept at a national executive committee (NEC) meeting in 2011 after members of the Gupta family told him he would become a minister.